>
> From: TJ Kolev <[email protected]>
> To: [email protected]
> Cc:
> Bcc:
> Date: Fri, 8 Mar 2024 17:46:35 -0600
> Subject: French Horn - transposing
> Greetings!
>
> So I've been notating a piece for my son's school band (junior high).
> Copying the music from paper into LilyPond using Frescobaldi. And now I hit
> a wall. The music piece is written for french horns in E flat pitch. But
> the band's horns are in F pitch. I need to transpose the score
> appropriately. The band director expects staff with three flats (E flat
> major). I hope there's some easier way to do this than me manually
> re-writing the score. And I am not even sure how to do that. I would
> appreciate any help.
>
> I've played piano, so I can read notes. But these crazy pitched brass
> instruments are an intimidating concept... :-/
>
> Below is the initial part of the score for the E flat french horn. Seems
> rather big for a small example, but I'd rather have a bit more context.
>
> Thank you!
> TJ Kolev :)
>
> ======================================================
>
> \version "2.24.0"
>
> trl = \tuplet 3/2 \etc
>
> rpt = #(define-music-function (cnt snip) (integer? ly:music?)
> #{
> { \repeat unfold $cnt $snip }
> #}
> )
>
> frhornInIIA = {
> \sectionLabel "Intro"
> \key f \major
> | \trl {a'8( bes a)} g r | \trl {g( a g)} f[ r16 e] | g8 r f[ r16 e] |
> d8 r r4 \break
>
> \sectionLabel "Part A"
> \repeat volta 2 {
> | \rpt 4 { r8 <d a'>[ r <d a'>] } \break
> | \rpt 2 { r8 <d bes'>[ r <d bes'>] } | r <d a'>4.:8 | <d
> a'>2:8^"...." \break
> | \rpt 4 { r8 <cis a'>[ r <cis a'>] } \break
> | \rpt 2 { r8 <cis a'>[ r <cis a'>] } | r8 <d a'>4.:8 | <d
> a'>2:8^"...." \break
> | \rpt 4 { r8 <d a'>[ r <d a'>] } \break
> | \rpt 2 { r8 <d bes'>[ r <d bes'>] } | r <d a'>4.:8 | <d
> a'>2:8^"...." \break
> | \rpt 2 { r8 <d a'>[ r <d a'>] } | r8 <d bes'>[ r <d bes'>] | r8 <d
> bes'>4.:8 \break
> | r8 <cis a'>[ r <cis a'>] | r8 <cis a'>[ r <d a'>] | r8 <cis a'>[ r
> <cis a'>]
> }
> \alternative {
> { <d a'> r r4 \break }
> { <d a'>8 r <cis a'>4 }
> }
> } % A part
>
>
> frhornIIInIVA = {
> \sectionLabel "Intro"
> \key f \major
> | \trl {a'8( bes a)} g r | \trl {g( a g)} f[ r16 e] | g8 r f[ r16 e] |
> d8 r r4 \break
>
> \sectionLabel "Part A"
> \repeat volta 2 {
> | \rpt 4 { r8 <f a,>[ r <f a,>] } \break
> | \rpt 2 { r8 <g bes,>[ r <g bes,>] } | r <f a,>4.:8 | <f
> a,>2:8^"...." \break
> | \rpt 4 { r8 <g a,>[ r <g a,>] } \break
> | \rpt 2 { r8 <g a,>[ r <g a,>] } | r8 <f a,>4.:8 | <f a,>2:8^"...."
> \break
> | \rpt 4 { r8 <f a,>[ r <f a,>] } \break
> | \rpt 2 { r8 <g bes,>[ r <g bes,>] } | r <f a,>4.:8 | <f
> a,>2:8^"...." \break
> | \rpt 2 { r8 <f a,>[ r <f a,>] } | r8 <g bes,>[ r <g bes,>] | r8 <g
> bes,>4.:8 \break
> | r8 <g a,>[ r <g a,>] | r8 <g a,>[ r <f a,>] | r8 <g a,>[ r <g a,>]
> }
> \alternative {
> { <f a,> r r4 \break }
> { <f a,>8 r <g a,>4 }
> }
> } % A part
>
>
> frhornInIINotes = {
> \time 2/4
> \relative c' {
> \frhornInIIA %{
> \frhornInIIB
> \frhornInIIC
> \frhornInIID
> \frhornInIIE
> \frhornInIIF %}
> }
> }
>
>
> frhornIIInIVNotes = {
> \time 2/4
> \relative c' {
> \frhornIIInIVA %{
> \frhornIIInIVB
> \frhornIIInIVC
> \frhornIIInIVD
> \frhornIIInIVE
> \frhornIIInIVF %}
> }
> }
>
> sgFrenchHorn = \new StaffGroup <<
> \new Staff \with {
> instrumentName = \markup { \column { \line { French Horn E\flat} \line
> {"I & II"} } }
> shortInstrumentName = \markup \teeny { \column { \line {"fhorn"} \line
> {"I,II"} } }
> }
> \frhornInIINotes
>
> \new Staff \with {
> instrumentName = \markup { \column { \line { French Horn E\flat} \line
> {"III & IV"} } }
> shortInstrumentName = \markup \teeny { \column { \line {"fhorn"} \line
> {"III,IV"} } }
> }
> \frhornIIInIVNotes
> >>
>
> \score {
> \sgFrenchHorn
> }
>
>
%{
First an attempt to try to clarify the problem:
Writing for an Eb instrument means you write a C when you want to hear an
Eb.
That's the definition of how pitched instruments are named: when the
instrument plays a written C, the sounding note is the name of the
instrument.
A Bb trumpet playing a written C sounds like a Bb.
A horn in F playing a written C sounds like an F.
An alto flute in G playing a written C sounds like a G.
A horn in Eb playing a written C sounds like an Eb.
So, assuming that is what this existing part for Eb horn is, when the part
writes a C, the sounding pitch is an Eb.
The note you would write for an instrument in F to play a sounding Eb is
the note a 5th above Eb, or Bb.
This means that a written C in the original part for Eb horn would be
written for horn in F as a Bb.
So, everything goes down a whole step, including the key signature, from F
to Eb, or one flat to three flats.
In your case, it is easiest to just transpose the entire staffgroup
%}
sgFrenchHorn = \new StaffGroup \transpose f ees <<
\new Staff \with {
instrumentName = \markup { \column { \line { French Horn F} \line {"I &
II"} } }
shortInstrumentName = \markup \teeny { \column { \line {"fhorn"} \line
{"I,II"} } }
}
\frhornInIINotes
\new Staff \with {
instrumentName = \markup { \column { \line { French Horn F} \line {"III
& IV"} } }
shortInstrumentName = \markup \teeny { \column { \line {"fhorn"} \line
{"III,IV"} } }
}
\frhornIIInIVNotes
>>
\score {
\sgFrenchHorn
}
